The Wilmingtonian., 1887-05-21
The Relative Digestibility of the
Cdief Albuminoids.

of various proteids. The sub
stances experimental upon were: Raw albu-
mon, serum, and egg; cooked albumen, also
serum and egg, globulins, raw aud cooked;
m yosin; derived albumen, viz, syntoniu, al
altli albumen, caseiu; vegetable albums1, i'm
pure gluten. Each of these was subjected
to six hours peptic digestion, thea for six
hours to pancreatic digestion. at the,end
of tdis time they were placed in temper
stule of 17Go F., and dialysis was allowed to
TO proceed for twenty-four hours The au-
thor gives the result of his researches ia a
tabulated form, aud estimates the amount
of peptones dialyzed as nitrogen. The most
digestible albuminoid was found to DO cook
ed myosin; then came raw serum sIbunen.
after which the order was as follows syn
tonin, alkali albumen, raw egg albumen.
casein, cooked egg albumen, cooked serum
albumen, raw myosin, and gluten. It might
have been expected that syntonin would
have headed the list, as it is partly digested
beforehand, yet it was not far from being
ahead of the others. These results apply to
the albnminoids after they had gone through
the processes of peptic and pancreatic diges-
ton, as well as dalysis
Each albuminoid substance was reduced
to dry solid state, and OH taking the per.
centage relation between the amount dialyz-
ed and the amount of albuminoid actually
used, it was found that in no case did fifty
per cent af the dry solids pass through the
diayzer during paptic digestion. The un-
cooked albumens gave the highest peptic re-
suits, and syntonin next Turning to tryp-
tic digestion, cooked myosin heads the list,
then the order is as follows: raw serum al
bumen, raw egg albumen, syntonin, cooked
serum aibumeD, raw albumen, syntonin.
cooked serum albumen, raw mycsin, oaseine
gluten, and cooked egg alba-ieh last. This
experiment being eeuaauted in an alkaline
mentrum, t,sess Substances which are most
easily sol1bIein an alkaline solutier have
naturally an advantage III digestion. Hence
the aigh position of raw albe mems and Of
syntonin.
During the two stages oi peptic and pan
creatic digestion, peptcnes were formed more
rapidly than they could pass away through
the parchmeat paper, and accumulated in
the dialyzers SO that when the ferment was
killed hy seating to 1890 Fab ana dialysis
was continued for twenty-four hours, lar
ger proportion of crystalloid matter passed
through than in the former stages; these
peptones were both of peptic and tryptic
formations, as in the case of those under the
head of pancreltic digestion. The lagest
proportionate result was found in the case
of cooked myosn, which was not far ahead
of raw serum albumen; then came cooked
egg albumen, raw egg albumen, raw myosin,
i
oids are not ordinarily used as foods; for in.
stauce, serum albumen, raw myosin, synton-
in, alkali albumen. though they are the most
digestibe of the albumiuoids.
By utilizing the results of these expert
ments, much valuable aid can be given to
those who require good, nutritious diet for
inyalids unable to digest solid food Beef
tea, as ordinarily prepared, is of little nutri-
tive value; but if the white of an egg be
mixed with cup Of beef tea and heated to
about 1909 F., the value of the beef tea is
greatly enhanced. Again, if minced raw
beef be just covered with very weak hydroch-
acid, (four drops of acid to one pint of
water) and left to macerate for the night,
the liquid strained off and squeezed out Of
the flesh by wringing in cloth contains SO
much syntonin as to make it highly nutri-
tious when neutralized such liquid will
remain clear after boiling TO remove the raw
flavor.
Ia cases where the digestive powers are
not in allegiance, one may give by mouth o,
by enemata one or more of the various forms
of peptonized foods or fluids that are now in
the market. In cases where the digestive
powers are lost in the stomach, but retained
in the intestine, or where some obstruction
to the passage of food into the stomach ex
lists, the above experiments will give mucl
help in treatment. The experiments Will
casein and gluten show that there are very
, few worse foods for delicate stomach thai
the usual bread and milk; whey is mild,
nutritive iiuid and easily digested. In case
: where 1t is desired to feed the patient througl
the intestine, those substances found solubl
in alkaline fluids, and therefore easily acte,
on by the pancreatic juice, viz, raw albu
t men, syntonin, or alkali albumen, may
: used alone or dissolved in some meat tea.
! Ponds Extract. Large sums Of none
are spent by the afflicted to find relic
+ from Piles. The Extract is certai